Back in the Day: May 9th - Brian Deane Becomes A Crystal Palace Hero

Saturday 9th May 1987

Hull City 3-0 Crystal Palace

League Division Two – Att: 7,656

Manager: Steve Coppell

Sunday 9th May 2004

Coventry City 2-1 Crystal Palace

League Division One – Att: 22,195

Manager: Iain Dowie

Crystal Palace went into the final game of the season in 5th place and knowing that a win would guarantee a Play-Off place that seemed so unlikely just five months earlier when they sat in the relegation zone.

Just four minutes into the match, it was an uphill task for the Eagles. Mo Konjic scored and just before the half-hour Micky Doyle (27) double the hosts’ lead.

Dougie Freedman (64) pulled one back and, with Ipswich drawing and Wigan winning, Palace needed to either find an equaliser or hope that West Ham could level against Wigan. Salvation came at the JJB Stadium. Brian Deane scored a 90th-minute equaliser to end Wigan’s hopes of a Play-Off place and push Palace into 6th place. A few weeks later, Alan Pardew’s West Ham would live to regret that goal.

Tuesday 9th May 2006

Watford 0-0 Crystal Palace

3-0 on Aggregate

Championship Play-Off Semi Final 2nd Leg – Att: 19,041

Manager: Iain Dowie

Watford had already won the tie with their devastating 3-0 win at Selhurst Park and, barring the most unlikely of turnarounds, everyone at Palace knew this would be the last time that they would see Andy Johnson in a Palace shirt (in his first spell at the Club at least).

Despite a bench-clearing brawl between the two sides and a Palace fan running onto the field and scoring a goal – the game passed without incident and Watford comfortably progressed to the final, which they would go on to win. At the end of the match, Johnson came over to the Palace support and threw his boots into the crowd and said his emotional goodbye.

Wednesday 9th May 2018

Wilfried Zaha wins Premier League Player of the Month becoming the first Crystal Palace player to do so since Andy Johnson in October 2004.

...and in the evening, Zaha claimed his third Crystal Palace Player of the Year award in a row at Boxpark in Croydon.

Aaron Wan-Bissaka took home Young Player of the Year and Luka Milivojevic was awarded Goal of the Season for his effort against Southampton.